CSKA Black/ Blue 2-2 CSKA Red

The curtain-raiser for the pre-season friendly schedule saw the CSKA Sophia Gardens intra-squad friendly end in a 2-2 draw yesterday in a 12:30pm kick-off at Pontcanna Fields.

It was a game that saw a combination of current CSKA squad players mixed with friends of the team and potential signings. None of the squad keepers were available to participate in the game which meant the teams rotated goalkeepers with the match also being used to experiment with player positions and formations.

Undoubtedly, the big news of the day was the return to CSKA action of former Player of the Season Louis Boston with new signing Huw Williams also getting his first taste of 11 a side action for the team.

A number of other players including full backs Dan Owen and Frazer Richards, midfielder Eifion Roberts, and attacking players Kris Dolby and Mike Gaunt also got involved.

In what was a tightly contested game, the first half saw very few clear cut chances but both teams did have their opportunities to take the lead. Striker James Joyce saw a flicked effort from a cross out on the right hit the woodwork from close range with Cai Mckenzie also seeing a good run and shot blocked by the opposition back-line.

The other team also had their chances with Jon McCarthy attempting an audacious chip over the keeper that landed just over the bar with Sam Byrne also seeing a run from deep put him in one-on-one only for the keeper to stick a foot out to prevent the deadlock being broken.

As both teams switched about their positions in the second half, the game opened up a bit more with the play going from end-to-end. It was the Black/Blue team that took the lead early in the second half when a well-worked move down the right side saw winger Aiden Martin sneak in before drilling home low into the near side of the goal.

It wasn't long before the Red team pulled the scores level again. A ball over the top found Dolby who managed to hold off his marker before smashing the ball home low into the bottom right corner of the goal.

Both teams have chances to re-take the lead from set-pieces but both defences stood firm. It was then the Black/Blue team that regained the lead when Mckenzie found himself past the Red team's defensive line before he shifted the ball onto his right foot to finish low into the right side of the goal.

The clock was ticking down and despite heavy pressure from the Red team it seemed that the Black/Blue team would hold out for a narrow win. However, in the dying embers of the game a goalmouth scramble saw Roberts get a shot off that found its way through a crowd of players and into the bottom right corner of the net to secure the draw.

CSKA Sophia Gardens Manager Steve Day said "It was a very enjoyable game to watch and the standard of play from both teams so early in pre-season was great to see. There were a few things we learned from this game and that was the whole point of it. We can now head into our pre-season schedule with a good idea of what we want to work on and where we need to improve.

Day added "We were very grateful to the non-squad players for turning up and getting involved. It's resulted in us proposing expanding the number of players we have signed on provided the league rules allow us to. Any potential new additions to the squad will hopefully be confirmed in the coming days."

Line-Ups

CSKA Black/Blue Team

Steve Day

Dec O'Neill

Ed Lewis

Ceri Jones

Dan Owen

Louis Boston

Tom Frowen

Aiden Martin

Rich Hamlett

Cai Mckenzie

James Joyce

Goals: Aiden Martin and Cai Mckenzie

CSKA Red Team

Jordan Lloyd

Frazer Richards

Owen Lewis

Matt Wright

Huw Williams

Mike Gaunt

Arron Ackerman

Sam Byrne

Eifion Roberts

Kris Dolby

Jon McCarthy

Goals: Kris Dolby and Eifion Roberts